Monday, December 5, 2011

District Leader companion and door shut on us...

This has been a rough week, we had 10 lessons and then a few with less active members but still not like 2 weeks ago. We are also struggling to find God's Elect children that we can teach. We found no new investigators this week and I feel like we should have. We are going to strive this week to find more and to work as hard as we can. So I didn’t get transferred! Elder Gomes though became District Leader, which means I am a District Leader companion. I don’t quite know what that entails right now other than to help him plan our district meeting and teach our district. I know it means I will be going on a lot of exchanges with the elders in our district and with the zone leaders. It’s more work but I feel like as a companionship we can handle it. We also have a new elder in our district he in newer than I am, woohoo! He is really great though and went to culinary school before he came out so he cooks pretty well.

This week we have gone to so many Christmas parties, we went to 2 on Friday, 2 on Saturday and to a wedding reception. We got fed well this weekend. I am having so much fun too.

We went tracking this week, and I got my first door slammed into our face. She was like hold on one sec, and then when she opened the door she looked at us and said "I TOLD YOU GUYS NEVER TO COME HERE AGAIN DON’T YOU EVER LISTEN?! NOW DON’T COME BACK!" and slammed the door.It was sad. We walked away and kept knocking but we got this prompting to go back and to knock again to say sorry and that we will make sure no one knocks again. I was a little nervous to follow this prompting, but we did and rang her door bell. She didn’t answer the door that time though.

Yesterday we went to the Portuguese Ward, and I had to sit with the headphones and have the translator talk to me because I didn’t understand anyone’s testimony except the little boy who bore it in English J but that was our only one. We taught primary and that was really enjoyable and then we taught a combines relief society and elders quorum. It was so cool! We went to them and they each had a new Book of Mormon and a marking pencil. We taught a scripture chain of frequently asked questions by BYU non members and had each member mark that scripture and then write the next scripture in the column and then kept going. At the end we had them write their testimony in the front cover and the reference to the first scripture. They did this for us as missionaries to hand out in the community. That would be a cool idea for our missionaries in our ward.It was cool because it’s the time of year to share with others what has blessed our lives and that can really help!

A testimony builder I had this week was that one of our investigators, Lori, who grew up with no belief in God.She grew up with Buddhist beliefs but didn't practice it, and she is a nurse at a hospital.She told us about how when she is having a rough day at work she goes to the serenity room and prays she gets a calm feeling and the rest of her day goes smoothly.She told us that "I think that is that Holy Spirit you were talking about" and she recognizes the Holy Ghost in her life! I am so glad she knows!!! It’s so cool to watch her progress and change.So last Sunday she told us she would be baptized when she is ready but not yet.This week we got a text message from her saying she wants to be baptized on Christmas or New Years day.I was so excited because that's huge for her. I am so excited for her baptism too that will be the coolest present to give, a truly White Christmas.

Well I love you all and hope you’re doing well. I would love to hear from you if you want to write me! If I find time I will write you back.